2010 World Cup Soccer

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Ten-man Australia has kept its faint FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a 1-1 draw against Ghana at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

An early goal to Australian midfielder, Brett Holman, was cancelled out by an Asamoah Gyan strike from the spot as Ghana leapfrogged Germany to top spot of Group D with four points from its first two matches.

However, it was the way in which Ghana created its equaliser that has caused the most controversy of an Australian World Cup campaign littered with red cards.

After Andre Ayew wriggled his way past Luke Wilkshire and Brett Emerton in the 24^th minute, a cut back by the Ghanaian was met by Jonathan Mensah’s goal-bound bullet that was adjudged to have struck the right arm of ill-fated Australian forward, Harry Kewell, by Italian referee, Roberto Rosetti.

Rosetti had no hesitation in producing a straight red card to Kewell believing that the Australian had denied Ghana an obvious goal-scoring opportunity; and with that, the Socceroos were down to ten men with over an hour of the match still to play.

Gyan duly sent Mark Schwarzer the wrong way from the spot as he coolly sidefooted Ghana back into the game.

Yet, earlier in the match, it all seemed to be going right for the Socceroos when a Marco Bresciano free-kick on the 11^th minute was spilt by Ghanaian goalkeeper, Richard Kingson.

The resulting play saw Holman barnstorm his way into the area, where he sent a parried left-footed volley into the back of the net to give Australia the initial lead.

Subsequent to the Ghanaian goal however, the Socceroos had to withstand a sustained amount of pressure as the West Africans set out to make the most of their numerical advantage; and were it not for the top-class intervention of Schwarzer, Kevin-Prince Boateng’s worm-burner would’ve found its way inside the far post after he previously robbed Australia’s David Carney of possession.

The second half saw the Black Stars continue to press without ultimate reward, and it began to frustrate the Ghanaians as Boateng, Gyan and co. resorted to long-range shots in the hope that they could catch Schwarzer off-guard.

A resilient defence led by Craig Moore and Lucas Neill allowed the Australian midfielders to push forward, and in the pursuit for victory, it created two clear-cut chances through Scott Chipperfield and Luke Wilkshire.

With Holman again involved, the Socceroos forced the ball out to the right-flank as Wilkshire’s splendid cross found Chipperfield, who disappointingly headed over the bar after 67 minutes when the Australians were crying out for a shot on target.

Five minutes later, Wilkshire did test the ’keeper after Chipperfield played him in with a clever through-ball that split apart the Ghanaian defence.

However, with Wilkshire one-on-one with Kingson, the Australian hit his shot straight at the ’keeper leaving the Socceroos side in disbelief that it had not taken the decisive advantage.

Ghana finally fashioned two chances of its own, but after Mensah headed wide from a set-piece, substitute, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, fired in a strike from a partially cleared corner which Schwarzer needed to divert away from goal.

With the two sides sharing the spoils, Australia has two possible scenarios in its final group stage encounter against Serbia that will give the Socceroos passage to the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup.

Primarily, in the other Group D battle, Ghana and Germany can not draw.

However, if Germany wins, Australia will need to beat Serbia by at least four goals.

Conversely, if Ghana beats the Germans, Australia only needs to defeat Serbia by any margin to keep its 2010 FIFA World Cup dream alive.

As for Ghana, if it does not lose to Germany, it will be assured of a place in the Round of 16.

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